Device for feeding machines for packing tubular products



G. BARDET May 22, 1945.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING MACHINES FOR PACKING TUBULAR PRODUCTS Filed Dec. so, 1.942

G. /IRDET Patented May 22, 1945 UNTITEI)`` PATENT vv()IFT-'2lfiCl?.

Y r Y 2,376,651

DEVICEFOR FEEDlNG MACmNEs Fon v j PACKING TUULARrRonucrs Gerard Bardet, Paris, France;fvesteu fin .the Alien Property Custodian ,Applicationpecember'sd 1942, sei-iai No. 470,616 I In France July-16,1941

3 Claims.

Certain machines, Alike those for packing cigarettes, macaroni, :andthe like, require that the products to be packed'should-be fedto them in orderly larranged ydeli-nite quantities.

The systems using-simple travelling bands and the like do not accomplish the desired results principally because the proper grouping and packet arrangement ofthe products cannot be effected without difficulty, especiallywhen ysubstantial outputs aretotbe attained. i.

Itis an object-of the .present invention to provide a device which insures rapid and accurate feeding of successive groups o`f-articles toa packing machine, said device'includingf a distributing chain, carrying feeders 4in which the tubular products are poured in the desired quantity.

The tubular products to be packed are fed from a magazine upon a pair of spaced bands. The chain and associated feeders move between the bands at such a relative inclination that the feeders are filled one by one with the products disposed upon the bands. As the chain continues to travel, the lledfeeders are moved toward a packing device.

A preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention will now ,be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a plan View.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line III- III in Fig. 1.

The tubular products, for instance cigarettes, are housed in a magazine 2, the bottom of which is formed by two endless bands 3 and 4 which in turn are spaced apart. An outlet is provided between the upper surfaces of said bands andthe front edge 5 of the magazine. A vertical wall I6 extends throughout the length of the device and constitutes one of the sides of the magazine 2, the other side of the magazine remaining open.

An endless chain or apron 6 is arranged beneath the bands 3 and 4, said apron 6 being carried by two pulleys 1 and 8, one of said pulleys being employed as a drive. Pulley 1 has a shaft I0 extending therefrom, and upon this shaft a second pulley 1 is secured, said pulley 1 having a belt 9 mounted thereon. The Ibelt 9 is also mounted upon another pulley II' xed upon shaft II, which shaft supports pulleys I9 and 20 upon which belts '3 and 4 are mounted.

Similar pulleys I9a and 20a also support the belts 3 and 4 at the other end of the machine. Suitable feeders I2 are placed side by side on said tween the bands.

chain or apron` Al, each -feeder comprising a base I4 having four lidentical sheet me'tal plates 'I3 extending therefrom insuc'h .a manner 'as to'form three chambers l5.,

The operation'of 'the device is as follows:

When the apron B 'is set in motion, ithebands Sand 4 move in the direction 4of the arrow F and remove theproduc'ts from "the ibottonrrof container2. The 'removed products are lthen deposited in chambers l5 as the feeders move be- Since belts 3, 4 are"dispos`ed at Van angle with chain B, the `transfer of 'the products is effected substantially 'at fthe intersection.v

'The products I fill the chambers |"5; and the feeders thus' filled continuato advance until they come in proximity to a packing machine (not shown). A hand I6a then moves into engagement with the products in chambers I5 to thereby transfer the [products from the feeder to the packing machine. The hand Ia is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

A simple or compound scraper or similar device I1 serves to remove the surplus products from the feeders I2. According to an arrangement illustrated in the drawing for packing cigarettes, a push-piece I8 is slidably mounted in each member I4 below the center chamber I5. The lower or tail ends of pieces I8 successively engage a cam or incline I8a. as the top section of chain 6 moves from right to left. The incline I8a raises the center stack of cigarettes a distance equal to the diameter of one cigarette im mediately after the three chambers of each feeder are filled and before the center chamber reaches the scraper I1, After passing beneath the scraper, the push-piece falls back again before the feeder moves to a position opposite the hand Ia. In this manner, each of the outer chambers of each feeder has seven cigarettes therein and the central chamber has six cigarettes-each outer chamber being slightly offset relative to the central chamber. Moreover, by the same process, other asymmetries can be obtained in the filling' of the chambers.

It is t0 be understood that the invention is not limited to this arrangement of the feeders and to the conveyor chain.

The chain 6 is illustrated as being inclined relative to the horizontal at a substantial angle. This inclination compels the products which have been unable to find a place in the chambers I5 to redescend towards the mass of those which are constant1y drawn along by the bands 3- and 4. It is important to notice that, even with a chain which is not inclined or only slightly so, the bands 3 and 4 accompany the products until the lowermost cigarette touches the bottom of its respective chamber. The cigarettes are thus arranged in the proper order with a minimum amount of displacement, thereby avoiding the deterioration of the products and the possibilities of their becoming wedged.

The chambers can be of various shapes and arrangements, according to the nature of the product to be packed. Of course, the number of chambers can be varied as well as the manner of pivoting the feeders-on the chain or apron. The methods for driving the chain and the bands can obviously be varied.

Finally, the ratio between the movements of the respective belts 3, 4 and 6 can be regulated at will by any suitable means such as a speed varying device of known type to suit operating conditions. Such a device will, among other things, serve to accelerate or to s low down the ow of products towards the scrapers I'I.

In the present instance, the pulleys I9 and 20 are somewhat larger than pulley I I'. Also, pulley l is larger than pulley II; consequently, the belts 3 and 4 will travel faster than belt 6, and as a result the cigarettesl will accumulate in sufficient depth in front of the scraper I1 to ll the chambers I5.

I claim:

1. A machine for packing tubular products comprising two parallel conveyor bands, means for delivering a supply of said products upon said bands, an endless apron obliquely arranged between said bands, said bands and apron being mounted for movement substantially in the same general direction, a portion of said apron projecting above the bands, feeder units for receiving the product from said bands, each unit including an assembly of spaced sheet metal plates on a base, and the base of each unit being secured to the apron, a push-piece slidably mounted in each of said bases and projecting into one of the spaces between the plates into engaging position with said products, cam means for successively urging each push-piece into its associated space to elevate the products therein, and a scraper flush-top with said feeders for removing the products disposed above the top level of the filled units.

2. A machine for packing tubular products comprising a conveyor formed from a plurality of containers arranged side by side, each container having a plurality of open flush-top compartments, means for delivering a continuous supply of said products to ll said compartments, means for elevating the delivered products in a designated compartment of each container, and means for removing the products disposed above the tops of al1 of the compartments While the products ir. said designated compartment are in elevated position.

3. A machine for packing tubular products comprising a conveyor, means on said conveyor for supporting a plurality of parallel columns of said superposed tubular products, a stationary scraper for successively removing the products disposed above a given level 'from each of said columns, and means disposed in advance of said scraper for elevating some of said columns.

GERARD BARDET. 

